[Fancy Nancy]

Good Football Sunday to all! I hope everyone will read Mr. Parkhouse article in todays paper. He has some interesting insights. I do agree that our lineman need some instructions earlier than middle school. I just can't wrapped my mind around telling a lineman you are to heavy at a young age. I think and hope Mr. Karpinski and his fine team stay at Michigan City Football, the J.V. are looking awesome but could use his knowledge and skills to be a force to be reckon in the future. Fault does not always fall on the coach, it fall on the whole football family, as I see it their is no I in Team! But an I in Win!

[Southsider2k12]

The Karpinski family bought a house here. They aren't going anywhere for along time.

[Fancy Nancy]

The Karpinski family bought a house here. They aren't going anywhere for along time.

Hope we are making them feel welcomed!

[Southsider2k12]

Hope we are making them feel welcomed!

I hope so too. They seem to be a really great family. It is very cool that Coach even brought his dad in to be a part of the staff, so there are literally 3 generations of Karpinksi's now shaping City's future.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...6a039898083.txt

Is there hope for City football?

By Adam Parkhouse
Home Cookin'
Published: Monday, September 26, 2011 3:13 PM CDT
The numbers aren’t pretty, but they tell the story.

Since the start of the 2010 football season, Michigan City has played 11 games in the Duneland Conference. The Wolves have lost all of them. The combined score? 482-96, or an average of about 44-8 per game.

There’s no way to sugarcoat that. The statistics are what they are.

I get a lot of questions about those numbers and what they mean. “What’s wrong with City football?”

*
“Why can’t the Wolves turn the corner?”

“Will MCHS football ever be consistently good?”

Dear friends, loyal readers, I just don’t know. I’ve spent the better part of 10 years now covering this program and the better part of my life following it closely.

This is the 16th season of football at MCHS since the consolidation, and here’s another set of indisputable facts: In every four-year block since 1995, the Wolves have had exactly one winning season.

From 1995-98, the Wolves were a combined 12-29, only a 6-5 mark in 1995 being above .500.

From 1999-2002, the Wolves were a combined 16-26, only a 7-4 mark in 2000 eclipsing the .500 mark.

From 2003-2006, the Wolves were a combined 14-27, going 6-5 in 2005 for the only above-.500 season in that quartet.

From 2007-2010, the Wolves were a combined 13-27, with 2009’s 6-4 the only one in the grouping with more wins than losses.

So, I can sort of answer the last question from above. That’s about as consistent as consistent gets. To be honest, it’s almost eerie.

The problems are clear. Watching games, it’s obvious where City’s main deficiencies are. In football, regardless of the level, the key to success is up front, and City struggles up front.

Bears fans can attest to this. If your quarterback spends most of his time running for his life or trying not to get killed, he’s not going to be an effective, consistent passer of the football.

My hope is a revamped middle school program helps to strengthen this area at the high school level. It’s where the Pop Warner program fails as a feeder system. It certainly succeeds in providing skill players on offense and linebackers/defensive backs on defense, but because of a weight limit, kids who end up being linemen in high school aren’t getting the basics at a young age.

But despite this season’s struggles, I’m still firmly entrenched in Camp Karpinski.

I think the Wolves’ first-year skipper is the right guy for the job, and given time he has what it takes to fix what ails the Wolves.

There are three games left in this season. It looks like this won’t be a winning year, but here’s to hoping this next four-year block can improve in years two through four.

One winning season out of every four isn’t the kind of consistent you’re looking for.

Last week, I went 7-9 against the spread to bring my season record to a dead-even 16-16. Let’s get over .500 this week, eh? The numbers are courtesy of ESPN.com’s Pigskin Pick’em contest.

Bills +8.5, 49ers +2.5, Browns -2.5, Broncos +6.5, Lions -3.5, Saints -3.5, Giants +7.5, Panthers -3.5, Chargers -14.5, Jets -3.5, Ravens -3.5, Falcons +1.5, Bears +3.5, Cardinals -3.5, Steelers -10.5, Redskins +6.5.

Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.

[taxthedeer]

So what you are all trying to tell me is that out of these 120 boys playing in the Michigan City Wolves High School football program plus an additional 750 or so boys in grades 9 through 12 roaming the halls at the high school building this group of 10 coaches with their extensive football backgrounds fail to find 5 of these boys to organize a formidible group of offensive linemen with enough skill and talent to go out on the field on Friday night and block and compete against the other big boys of the Duneland Conference?

You boys all look really dapper in your white shirt and ties. Juniors and Seniors got color photos, poor sophomores in black and white.

[Southsider2k12]

A City basketball coach said years ago "My starting five is walking the hallways". It is hard to convince kids that it is worth it to play when most of the town is still hung up on a team that disappeared 16 years ago.

[bandaid19]

One observation I'd like to make....

As much as I love the positive spirit and great press that Pop Warner brings to town, I've seen a trend that concerns me. For both cheerleading and football, many of the PW kids do not play on their respective school teams.

I know with football there's some age/weight issue, but I think it's kind of sad that these kids are not contributing to the school teams.

Out of curiosity, how many of the varsity players are PW alums? Is it a pretty good representation?

[MC Born & Raised]

One observation I'd like to make....

As much as I love the positive spirit and great press that Pop Warner brings to town, I've seen a trend that concerns me. For both cheerleading and football, many of the PW kids do not play on their respective school teams.

I know with football there's some age/weight issue, but I think it's kind of sad that these kids are not contributing to the school teams.

Out of curiosity, how many of the varsity players are PW alums? Is it a pretty good representation?

I can't give you a number or percentage, but I believe the current varsity team is filled (at skill positions plus LB and DB) with kids who were very good Pop Warner players. I can't say for certain how many, but I know there are quite a few.

[Southsider2k12]

One observation I'd like to make....

As much as I love the positive spirit and great press that Pop Warner brings to town, I've seen a trend that concerns me. For both cheerleading and football, many of the PW kids do not play on their respective school teams.

I know with football there's some age/weight issue, but I think it's kind of sad that these kids are not contributing to the school teams.

Out of curiosity, how many of the varsity players are PW alums? Is it a pretty good representation?

My honest opinion is that is a product of the coaching carousel in this town. If you can find a coach who will stick around and the City wide athletic director position really integrates the sports like it should (I trust Falls, but lets he honest, he isn't going to be here but a few more years tops) you can start to build a really top down program like you see everywhere else. That goes for basketball too. I have already seen the steps happening with Boyd. Give Karpinksi time, and I think he does it too. The problem is that it takes years to rebuild a program, but only one to tear it apart.

[Fancy Nancy]

So what you are all trying to tell me is that out of these 120 boys playing in the Michigan City Wolves High School football program plus an additional 750 or so boys in grades 9 through 12 roaming the halls at the high school building this group of 10 coaches with their extensive football backgrounds fail to find 5 of these boys to organize a formidible group of offensive linemen with enough skill and talent to go out on the field on Friday night and block and compete against the other big boys of the Duneland Conference?

You boys all look really dapper in your white shirt and ties. Juniors and Seniors got color photos, poor sophomores in black and white.

You can find the boys there,but one the do not have the experience andsecondsome dont't unfortunately make the grades. At the tenth and eleventh grade level you have the chance to lose boys to a part-time job. If you start them out playing with each other early, and they are having fun and feeling like a football family they play as a team.

[MSFOOTBALL]

So what you are all trying to tell me is that out of these 120 boys playing in the Michigan City Wolves High School football program plus an additional 750 or so boys in grades 9 through 12 roaming the halls at the high school building this group of 10 coaches with their extensive football backgrounds fail to find 5 of these boys to organize a formidible group of offensive linemen with enough skill and talent to go out on the field on Friday night and block and compete against the other big boys of the Duneland Conference?

You boys all look really dapper in your white shirt and ties. Juniors and Seniors got color photos, poor sophomores in black and white.

The first programs that were printed had a page that was accidentally done in black and white. The next home game did have all of them in full color. Our linemen are getting beat at the line, not size or strength, but quickness. Unfortunately this is something that must be pressed as important year around. It doesn't matter what size the player is, he can still be quick. Bringing Ron Gaston to the assistance of our coach should improve this with time. The players need to realize that this is very important and that what you are benching in the weight room isn't everything. The other DAC teams have very few players that weight in at 250-300 pounds. A player should only reach this weight if he is 6'5'' or taller. Even then he runs the risk of knee injuries. Many of the college teams are slimming their linemen down. They are going with quickness and agility for the whole team. The percentage of pop-warner kids playing would be interesting. I'm guessing that it is less than 50% though. Some of them that are on the team quit pop-warner for several years but came back to play in high school. When the serious pop-warner players stay in it until they are 13-14 they can't weigh over 135 or 145--Am I correct ?? Now they have linemen on these teams and how big do you think they are? When my son was that age he weighed in at 185. He was one of the biggest kids at the middle school football level. Once he got to 9th grade he started blending in with the rest of them. Now he is 6'1'' and 185. He is playing the line but is almost to small because a stable lineman should be 225 at least. I seriously don't see him gaining that weight since he has been the same for almost 4 years. Now he might make a nice tight end, corner, safety or receiver, however he has never played these positions. He was always the biggest guy on the team and the smaller pop-warner players are put in those positions first. I'm curious with teams like Chesterton which have an abundance of players--when a player starts in 9th are they likely to be playing the same position come senior year? I know it happens all the time when a college takes a high school player for them to change up their position. Just curious what the other schools are seeing since they have pop-warner as a feeder as well. GO WOLVES !!!

[Southsider2k12]

You can find the boys there,but one the do not have the experience andsecondsome dont't unfortunately make the grades. At the tenth and eleventh grade level you have the chance to lose boys to a part-time job. If you start them out playing with each other early, and they are having fun and feeling like a football family they play as a team.

There is a trust factor built up by having years of relationships to keep the kids accountable to each other. A lot of the problems, like grades, jobs, and motivation in general, can be fixed by having the kids pick each other up.

[backwoods]

So what you are all trying to tell me is that out of these 120 boys playing in the Michigan City Wolves High School football program plus an additional 750 or so boys in grades 9 through 12 roaming the halls at the high school building this group of 10 coaches with their extensive football backgrounds fail to find 5 of these boys to organize a formidible group of offensive linemen with enough skill and talent to go out on the field on Friday night and block and compete against the other big boys of the Duneland Conference?

You boys all look really dapper in your white shirt and ties. Juniors and Seniors got color photos, poor sophomores in black and white.

If it were only as simple as you suggest. Its not. Coaching lineman is an art. Lineman have the most difficult and thankless job on the field. Everyone congradulates the RB when he gets over 100 yrds, but when he gets under 50 yrds. they blame the line. From knowing their blocking assignments for each play, to knowing what to do or who picks up a blitz, to what they are to do on defensive line stunts or multiple Changes to the fronts. It is not the "Block the Guy in Front of You" scheme that they have at the lower levels!

Of the current starters on varsity there are only two on the offensive line that played pop warner (and those two only played a couple of years because they were too heavy), and one on the defensive line. Not a good situation. You can have all the specilty players you want, but if you dont have the boys in front on the same page your already behind.

Throw into the mix that this is their THIRD System they have had to learn in THREE years. So it is a perfect storm from multiple fronts. Give this situation time. A good meal takes time to prepare. Its not the kids fault or this coaching staffs fault.

I will say this, I am more confident with this coaching staff than I was with the prior group.

[Southsider2k12]

If it were only as simple as you suggest. Its not. Coaching lineman is an art. Lineman have the most difficult and thankless job on the field. Everyone congradulates the RB when he gets over 100 yrds, but when he gets under 50 yrds. they blame the line. From knowing their blocking assignments for each play, to knowing what to do or who picks up a blitz, to what they are to do on defensive line stunts or multiple Changes to the fronts. It is not the "Block the Guy in Front of You" scheme that they have at the lower levels!

Of the current starters on varsity there are only two on the offensive line that played pop warner (and those two only played a couple of years because they were too heavy), and one on the defensive line. Not a good situation. You can have all the specilty players you want, but if you dont have the boys in front on the same page your already behind.

Throw into the mix that this is their THIRD System they have had to learn in THREE years. So it is a perfect storm from multiple fronts. Give this situation time. A good meal takes time to prepare. Its not the kids fault or this coaching staffs fault.

I will say this, I am more confident with this coaching staff than I was with the prior group.

I will echo this by saying that I have yet to talk to anyone who has had contacts with both who felt any different.

[taxthedeer]

I'm curious with teams like Chesterton which have an abundance of players--when a player starts in 9th are they likely to be playing the same position come senior year? I know it happens all the time when a college takes a high school player for them to change up their position. Just curious what the other schools are seeing since they have pop-warner as a feeder as well. GO WOLVES !!!

Crown Point is the only dependant team to the Duneland conference that does not have Pop Warner for their feeder system. Their Crown Point Jr. Bulldogs program does not use any weight matrix for their rosters and are based on age groups, you kid can weigh up to 250 lbs. and don't have to live in Crown Point to play, and they don't have to travel either.

Many of the talented players from Merrillville are alumni of the Crown Point Jr. Bulldogs.

The City of Crown Point parks department just constructed a multi-million dollar facility for their yputh teams on North Ave. Just West of Broadway, two lighted synthetic turf fields with team club house/meeting rooms, concession picnic areas and actual restroom facilities with indoor plumbing (no disgusting pota-potties at that place). When the Wolves go to Crown Point in a couple weeks I encourage everybody to stop by and check it out.

www.cpjrbulldogs.com

[MSFOOTBALL]

Crown Point is the only dependant team to the Duneland conference that does not have Pop Warner for their feeder system. Their Crown Point Jr. Bulldogs program does not use any weight matrix for their rosters and are based on age groups, you kid can weigh up to 250 lbs. and don't have to live in Crown Point to play, and they don't have to travel either.

Many of the talented players from Merrillville are alumni of the Crown Point Jr. Bulldogs.

The City of Crown Point parks department just constructed a multi-million dollar facility for their yputh teams on North Ave. Just West of Broadway, two lighted synthetic turf fields with team club house/meeting rooms, concession picnic areas and actual restroom facilities with indoor plumbing (no disgusting pota-potties at that place). When the Wolves go to Crown Point in a couple weeks I encourage everybody to stop by and check it out.

www.cpjrbulldogs.com

Thanks for the information. I did not know this and this could be part of the answer to some of the success they are seeing in their program. Kudos to them to spend that kind of money on their kids! Wish one of the local casinos would put up a big event building that could be used on Sundays for the younger athletic sports events. Hmmmm.....

[Grammy515]

Thanks for the information. I did not know this and this could be part of the answer to some of the success they are seeing in their program. Kudos to them to spend that kind of money on their kids! Wish one of the local casinos would put up a big event building that could be used on Sundays for the younger athletic sports events. Hmmmm.....

That would be a wonderful use of the old Y building......

[taxthedeer]

That would be a wonderful use of the old Y building......

I would have done something along those lines with the former Harborside Homes/current Wescott Park property. The boys all agreed with me too.

[MSFOOTBALL]

That would be a wonderful use of the old Y building......

I wish someone would find a use for this building. The location is very central and I was hoping that the City would purchase for the Police Department, especially since it has a pool. The Scuba team now has to practice in the high school pool. Unfortunately the world revolves around funds to cover these expenditures. I know they still keep the pool up at Elston Middle school but when I was there last year it needs a lot of work done to it too. It all boils down to the fact that it is easier to build new than keep rehabbing. We have the two new schools added to our system but compared to other school systems we are left behind. I wish we had more to offer the kids. I know there is talk of offering more sports at the elementary and middle school levels. Honestly, we can't get coaches for what we have and I don't know how this will work out. I guess the only way to find out is to try it and maybe things will go our way.